LuHi girls prevail over top-ranked Shabazz

by Ian Cutler
on
Sun, Feb 10, 2013 11:19 PM

Updated Sun, Feb 10, 2013 11:32 PM

Photo by Photo by Errol Anderson

Another game against a top team, another win for Long Island Lutheran girls basketball.

Boogie Brozoski led the way with 27 points, as the Crusaders knocked off Shabazz of Newark, 61-50, at the Mecca Tournament at the Gauchos Gym in the Bronx on Sunday afternoon.

Shabazz (20-1) was the No. 1 team in MSG Varsity’s Tri-State top 20 last week, and was ranked sixth in the nation on MaxPreps’ Excellent 25. Lutheran (16-3) is currently ranked third in MSG Varsity’s top 20.

“It’s a good win for our program,” Lutheran coach Rich Slater said. “You can say what you want about us but you can’t say we don’t play good teams. Anyone can beat anybody on any given night.”

Brozoski heated up in the fourth quarter to propel Lutheran to the win, scoring 13 points in the period. Lutheran outscored Shabazz 21-13 in the fourth, as Brozoski found her range from deep and sank all four free throw attempts in the quarter.

Brozoski also finished with five assists, while Sade Gibbons had seven points and nine rebounds and Kaela Hilaire had nine points and six assists.

“They beat some pretty good teams this year so it was good,” Slater said. “We were up nine at the half and up three going into the fourth and Boogie scored 13 of her 27 in the fourth so that was big.”

Lutheran was scheduled Sunday to play against Mary Bergtraum (NYC) — ranked 12th on the tri-state's top 20 — but because of the snowstorm changes were made to the tournament’s match-ups late Saturday, and Lutheran was slated against Shabazz instead.

“It was so bizarre,” Slater said. “But my attitude was they didn’t have time to prepare for us and we didn’t have time to prepare for them so that kind of evened it out a little bit.”